The Black Tree
by Tsa Ra Vier
Summary: Maeglin can't sleep. The noise was murdering his sleep. He woke every few seconds. At last, he gave in. He has to find out what causes this sound or he will go mad. Featuring Maeglin and a personification of Nan Elmoth. No pairing, just some angst.
1. Chapter 1

**_Silly idea from my head, sorry.._**

 ** _It was probably connected to one of my random fics about the personification of Nan Elmoth. This time, it took a vacation to Gondolin :D ahahaha. Probably in a more serious sense, this fic turns from horror to humour to hurt and comfort to tragedy really quickly. It was supposed to be a short fic but then... around 4k words happened and I decided to cut it short. Anyway, enjoy~_**

 ** _disclaimer: Characters are from The Silmarillion. I only made fics out of it because I am a hopeless little avarin elf who likes The Forest of Dubious Consent a bit too much for bringing unexpected couples together._**

 ** _(...maybe it should be a thing. Put 2 random unlucky victims together for a few months and they will end up a couple)_**

* * *

It was the night after his father's execution. Gondolin which was once white in his head was tainted by blood. His father's blood. He thought of how could this thing happen. It was too quick. Everything was too quick for him. He was too used to the slow haze of Nan Elmoth or the constant pace of the forge. Never would he thought it would end like this. In a place where night was too bright, lost, alone. If only he inherited some of his mother's uncaring personality or even his father's ability to shove away emotions, he might be able to survive another day but no. He got the worse of both. Rashness and the sudden burst of emotional flame. No, he refused to let himself be emotional. He refused to cry as he knew both his parents will laugh at him. Aredhel will laugh at his son for being a crybaby while Eöl will laugh at the irony of Aredhel being a crybaby as well. The Nan Elmoth family was notorious for their ability to hide their feelings towards each other. No words of love ever heard amongst Lord and Lady of Nan Elmoth. Never ever.

Maeglin tried sleeping with happier thoughts. His first good sword, presented to his father, sweet lullabies of the white city from his mother, the feeling of escaping home for the first time. It was not working as it backfires on him. He tried another way. To hate. To imagine all the hatred towards his confining father , hatred of that forces him and his mother to shun the sunlight, hatred of the servants, hatred of the way they parents look at each other without emotions. Hating tires him. He dislikes to hate. He is bitter, but no more torn of losing that he already was. He do not hate, he was just lost.

He did not self pity. It was an odd thing for him. All he knew was he was alone. That thought alone send his mind blank. Not out of sadness or pity but more of logic. 'What now?' ,'What was left for him?'. Ever since he was little, he was trained to keep his mind going. Partly for his own sanity. The quietness in Nan Elmoth is too suffocating. Sometimes, it seems it was alive, but when it was alive, the rest of the house is dead. The tree sometimes shakes and creeps, making an enchanting sound which his father told it were a lullaby. A very scary one, Maeglin thought. When it does creates the lullabies, the entire household shut themselves of noises. No work at the forge, no sounds of footsteps, and his father were not seen. These times he spends curling in the arms of his mother under the fur blanket. When his father came to their room, the noises ceased, and life became as usual.

Maeglin start hearing these noises now. It sounded hoarse but much more alluring that his mother's lullabies. It scares him. The sound of Nan Elmoth was heard in Gondolin.

Maeglin can't sleep. The noise was murdering his sleep. He woke every few seconds. At last, he gave in. He has to find out what causes this sound or he will go mad.

He went down, down below Carag Dur where his father fell. He has to make sure his hated father was indeed, dead. He went down the stairs, avoids sharp jagged rocks but no...

There was not even a speck of blood.

He sensed something odd was there. A smell of enchantments and dark woods. He felt something was alive. Something, not someone. It smelled like one of those quiet days. It was suffocating. Maeglin do not fear, but the rapid beating of his heart stated otherwise. He felt a shadow walked past him. Cold. Very cold.

He felt a soul, or maybe just a hint of them. Luring him to another place. His heartbeat was felt to his ears, beating like an ancient drum. It brought him towards a place. A place he did not want to go. His mother's grave.

Maeglin was reluctant to enter. His soul was screaming of fear and danger. Too fast too fast too fast. It reminds him. He shoved the feeling away and opened the door.

Nothing.

He sighed in relief. He looked at the cold statue of his mother above her beautiful stone grave and nodded. As if he was given strength from her mother to go on and not fall to this decided to went back to his chambers. His body was tired now. He thought he could rest at last.

No. You should be dead!

The dark figure in his window tilted his head. He crept slowly and was tangled in dark branches. He made no sound, the intruder. His feet creeps into the floor and Maeglin realized, they were not flesh. Something dark, something with branches and creeps like the shadow. Something very ancient and very odd. Not elven, but elvenlike. The creature had a face. Face similar to his father.

"Son...o..f...Eö..l.."It spoke. His voice,like father's.

"What are you ?" Maeglin tried keeping his emotions hidden. Whatever that thing is, he must have self control if he wanted to get rid of it.

"I..a..m...fle..sh." again, with his father's voice. The thing reached out to him. Branches came out of the flesh, black branches like the ones in Nan Elmoth. It scares him.

"No... it's a dream. It must be a dream. It must be." Maeglin finds himself chanting.

"Where.. is... my.. son ?"

NonononoNO! It can't be happening. Not like this.

"Son of Eöl." The other voice regained balance and composure. "Do not fear." Maeglin realised the voice has power infused to it. It was not his father's voice. Similar, but worse. His fears are diminished by the command of the creature's voice.

The creature cleared his throat. " I'll ask you once more, son of Eöl. Where is my son?"

Maeglin was clueless. His son? Who? Was the creature a lost soul or a wraith? He took a step closer to the wraith creature. His hair was messy and unkempt, black as the night with hints of kisses by the moonlight. He shoved the creature's hair which covers its face. A dark piercing eyes, just like his own.

He thought of the worse, the creature is going to kill him. He sensed unrest and dark air from the creature, but it was still unmoving. The creature's breath was harsh and ragged. It was cold.

"Who is your son?" He finds himself asking.

The creature was silent.

It moved to a corner of Maeglin's room. The only corner where moonlight does not touch. It spreads its roots and branches amongst the corners. It appears asleep afterwards.

He tried prodding the tree-like thing with his sword but it won't move. It appears to be rigidly rooted towards his wall.

Maeglin shook his head. It must be a dream, he thought. His mind must been toying with him after a lot of events. He decided to forget everything and focus on rest. He cleared his mind off the tree. Pretending it did not exist at all. He went to bed afterwards, not facing the odd tree on the other side. Hoping beyond hope that it will be gone by tomorrow.


	2. Chapter 2

...it was still here. Maeglin groaned. It was smaller and seemed well kept, although the roots were mad and quivering under the sunlight.

Maeglin thought of throwing it away. To cut it into pieces for the upcoming winter. He was quite sure Gondolin will be happy with extra firewood.

A cold hand slid to his shoulders. Maeglin flinched.

That THING is still here.

A silence.

Was that his clothes ?

The creature tilted its head. He looked fairer, almost elven. Well, a messy broken elven that is. Something similar to Nan Elmoth's wraith-like servant with a mix on Telerian ears. It was looking at him with a wide and curious look.

"Son of Eöl. My son?" No I have not found your son which you never described to me so don't ask me with that weird look of yours,please!

A knock was heard from the door. Immediately, Maeglin shoved the 'thing' to his closet. He locked the closet door before a sound of protest came from the thing. Quickly he ran towards the door. It was opened afterwards.

"Cousin!" Maeglin gasped, almost blushing.

"Cousin." came the passive reply. " I was asked to check on you. You may have breakfast with us and the lords of Gondolin."

"Oh I will don't worry. I just need to recollect myself for a while. It's a mess inside..." He tried his best not to look awkward. Not in front of the Idril Celebrindal.

"Is that a black tree ?" She pointed.

"No!"came the quick reply. "I meant, it was not there before but now it was there and I have to get rid of it so... see you at breakfast!" He slammed the door. Stupid. Why did he slammed the door ? It was all that thing's fault!

Maeglin opened the closed door to find the 'thing' screeching in pain. Immediately he closed the closet door again. Now, how to set his closet on fire?

There were important artifacts inside his closet. Long memories of smithing, his mother's gown, his scribbles given to his mother. No. He resolved to stab that thing instead.

"Son of Eöl, it smelled of the remains of a female in here. May I go out shaded in the white cloth?" The voice asked.

"Tell me who you are first and I will consider it!" Maeglin's patience is wearing thin.

Another expected silence.

"I... am. Flesh." came the sound from the closet.

"I've heard of that! You better give a better explanation before I stab you!"

"The tree. Is me. I am ... flesh. I...live." Muttered the voice darkly. "Body. Mine. Long time. Not remember. I, find my son. Take home."

"You came to Gondolin to search for your son?" Maeglin opened the closet door slowly. The creature nodded slowly. He look much more elven now, as if adapting to its surroundings. Maeglin can see the elven ears amongst the hoard of unkempt hair. The creature has thin dark lips and was skinny but tall. It looks very familiar. His speech was ancient sindarin with an avarin accent. An elf from Nan Elmoth perhaps? A weird one.

Maeglin took a more regal position. " I only can help you if you tell me what you son was like." he started. The creature was silent. It took a glace towards the galvorn sword Maeglin held. "I know how to make that..."it replied.

A weird one and a liar,Maeglin thought. Nobody knew the secret of galvorn except his father. The creature was eyeing the black blade. It was singing solemnly. The creature smiled. "This is his brother is far away. Far separated. The creature told him.

Treating the sword like a person. Maeglin seen the act somewhere. It was a long time ago.

 _He was small and was up late at night. His mother was sleeping but the noises still kept the child awake. He heard voices from the forge._

 _"They are twins. This time you created twins..." it was his father's voice._

 _"I created swords, you gave them life..."_

 _"They shall have an elder brother, forged late. He can protect you in your journey in place of me."_

 _The forge was silent for a while._

 _"Are you leaving?" his father's voice was distinct, and hurt._

 _It was a suffocating silence afterwards._

 _"No. Are you ?"_

 _No response._

 _At that moment, Maeglin leaned on the door too heavily, it creaked. The sound was heard and he immediately fled from the scene._

"What proof you have for your words ?" Maeglin asks daringly. The creature thought for a while. It looked Anguriel and stroked the blade almost lovingly.

"Sing for me."it whispered to the blade.

Anguriel wailed in songs so disturbing and dangerous. It was the noises Maeglin heard in the nights in Nan Elmoth. She told tales of burning forges, of hope and despair, of blackened trees and enchanting rivers. Suddenly the songs mellowed into of silence and starlight. Tale of long old memories and of trees tall that shunned sunlight. She told tales of separation and adventure. It was until the creature shushed her.

"I did not know she could sing like that..." Maeglin stammered.

"She has a very nice voice. More of a minstrel at heart than a blade. Only paired with it's twin, she will be deadly. Then again, her twin chooses it's opponent well. He has an odd sense of justice and a horrible sense in choosing a friend."The creature continued. It looked at the window afterwards.

"It was never this bright. Great fire in the sky is horrible. Also the other one, horrible. Great fireflies of the sky, bearable. Someday it will burn us, kills us, but no. She gave me gifts. I hate her. I love her." The creature cringed. "Elbereth you monster..." It closes it's ear,shutting the whole world down.

"You did not answer my question you horrid creature! Who are you ?!" Maeglin shouted.

It looked at him in the eye. Such dark piercing eyes.

"Your father called me Nan Elmoth..."

* * *

Never did he heard of forests taking elven form. It told him it was the only one. Out of ancient enchantments, maybe long before the creation of Arda. Maybe it was the will of Eru, or escaped magic of the Valar. The main thing is, it was alive. Waiting, longing, knowing he should not be but he was. Just like the ents, living forests. But this one is near impossible. It was too elven, too real, it has a real flowing flesh. It beats a heartbeat. It... Might passed as an elf.

"She..." it muttered.

"Who?"

"The lady which was named 'Cousin'..." still creeping under his bed, protecting itself from moonlight. "You spoke of breakfast together..."

"Oh, Idril. She is my cousin." Maeglin replied in sindarin as the tree only spoke in it.

"... you love her."

Maeglin shoved a sword sheath under his bed. Hitting the tree. "None of your business!"

"You do love her. Why you do not make her yours?" Maeglin felt a poke from under his bed.

"It's not that simple you son of an orc!" Another jab from above.

"As we established earlier, I am Nan Elmoth. In my laws, you are permitted to love anyone. I approve of your love to your cousin, Idril..." It smiles. For the tree, it was all too simple.

Maeglin groaned. Explaining customs to a tree is like talking to a wall.

"Why not try to kiss her ?" another, now muffled sound as Maeglin threw his pillow to the tree. "Love is simple and beautiful. Look at each other, touch hands, kiss, and that is it. Happy forfefer." another pillow landed in its face.

"Can you not? I am trying to sleep!" Maeglin yelled.

"Goodnight, son of Eöl..."

"Can you not say that ?!"

It went silent.

Before Maeglin dozed off to a dreamless slumber, the tree whispered darkly. "...Goodnight, son of Ar-feniel."

* * *

Maeglin woke up tangled by dark branches. His arms were bound to his sides and instantly went trashing to get out of the bounds. When his left hand got freed, he quickly tore the branch on his right. He then kicked his way free of the rest of the twisting branches. He found the edge of the roots trailed to his bathroom.

"WHAT _ARE_ YOU DOING ?!"

The tree looked at him passively."Getting water" it replied.

The flowing water formed a puddle and pooled all over his floor. Maeglin was filled with rage. After everything he had been through, this... THING happens.

"GET OUT!" He yelled.

The tree thankfully complied and jumped from the bathroom window.

Did it just... run away?

More headaches came for Maeglin.

Maeglin's head was pounding. Trying to come up for an excuse for the broken plumbing had proved futile. He resolved to fix the mess himself then kill the tree. The problem remains, the tree was unseen. Was it hiding from him? Did it run away? He had hoped so. Good riddance.

Why must he worry of a foolish tree anyway? It was not his problem. He decided to not think of the tree at all and went to the halls for breakfast.

He secretly hated joined breakfast. All the lords of Gondolin were talking nonsense and the image was too vain and proud for his liking. It was one of the nice moments he could talk to Idril though, so there is a good side on that.

"It seems that the newly established lord of the house of the mole is enjoying his meal." he felt a curled smile under the sweet sarcastic voice.

Echtelion.

"Ah, yes. " Maeglin muttered to himself.

"Strange that The Lord of The Golden Flowers is late for breakfast, is it not?" Echtelion is bothering him. Obviously because his best friend was missing.

"Mmm..." Maeglin muttered.

The breakfast went quick and painless, thankfully. A little chat and being social here and there and finally it was done. Glorfindel did not show up at breakfast at all which was quite news of the morning. Maeglin did not care much, he planned to go quickly to the forge and start working on his first commissioned work.

What. . ?

"Maegliiiin~~ Hello!" Beautiful golden locks tangled in daisies and smells like fresh mints, Glorfindel waved at him. He was the personification of sunshine, child of the sun, probably. But it was not his concern. His concern was.. THAT THING.

THAT THING was sitting comfortably under a tree in the meadowy garden WITH a yellow daisy crown. Maeglin quickly ran to its side."What in the name of Valar are you trying to do?! Kill me ?!" Maeglin whispered.

"Isn't Némo wonderful? I thought of filling his gloom with some happy thoughts and flowers!" Glorfindel smiled ever so radiantly. 'Némo' replied with a sarcastic smile.

"Némo?"

"Nan Elmoth, Némo in short. For convenience." The tree whispered.

"Isn't it wonderful? You made friends already!" Glorfindel smiled. " I knew son of Irissë was also very sociable! I never doubted you! Némo is from your house is he not?"

"I know the secret to galvorn..." Némo replied.

"Oh no you don't!" Maeglin glared at the tree.

"Apparently I don't." corrected the tree based on Maeglin.

Glorfindel laughed."Némo you are so funny!" He hugged the stone-cold tree. It was again, smiling sarcastically.

"I live under Maeglin's bed..." It said while smiling.

"NO YOU DON'T!"

Glorfindel blushed madly. Disturbing images playing in his head. "I-I-I-I... I d-didn't k-know... Sorry.." Glorfindel hid his face.

Maeglin glared at the tree furiously. "That is not.. We do not! Glorfindel come back here it was a misunderstanding!" Maeglin ended up chasing the lord. Némo whistled rhythmically, waiting till the two lords finished their game of chase. It didn't know it will be in a great trouble afterwards.

* * *

"Have you found your son yet? If you do, please get away from me !" Maeglin slammed the door. Némo quietly slither under Maeglin's bed, replenishing its burnt skin after 'playing' with Glorfindel. A pair of glowing eye blinked under the bed.

"Get out of there you son of an orc!" Swiftly, the tree fled before being hit by a sword. It went inside the closet. Maeglin is seriously considering burning the closet now. Memories of childhood be damned.

" Cannot find my son. So I'm staying for another day." It whispered. Maeglin groaned and let the room for the forge. Before closing the door, he yelled to kill the tree if it left the room. The tree nodded.

* * *

For some reason, that tree becomes a fixture. He remembered the time he brought Némo a giant clay pot. It instantly rooted its roots inside and filled it with soil. The creeping dark tree in the corner had became a tall, neatly trimmed potted plant. Némo slept on the tree when the moon was not too bright. It helps Maeglin with the smithy, commenting final touches and infusing magic inside them. It even taught him some magic.

Late at night, Némo helped Maeglin creep on Idril. He knew it was wrong, but Némo insisted on having their relationship closer. It also promised to hid himself whenever the residents of Gondolin passed. Némo also helped on giving nightmares to the annoying lords of Gondolin. In return, it was allowed to sleep under his bed. It muttered every single day that he had not find his son. Long after, it told him it didn't mattered much.

"Némo, what were your son like?" He finds himself asking, one day.

Finally Némo answered. "Tall, noble, proud." He heard it sigh. "Beautiful, fair,lithe." he heard a gasp, almost a whimper. "Careful...loyal...a-afraid..." a sob. A broken sob.

"Némo are you crying?" Maeglin peered down his bed, finding Némo curling in a ball. It was shaking furiously.

"Broken..broken...broken..." it muttered.

"M-my ch-child.. no. M-must protect... G-gone. _NononoNonevergoneheisalwayshere..._ " It was trembling. " _IlovehimIlovehim...pleasecomebacktome... .Please. L-love you. I...broken...leaking.._."

Maeglin did not understand what kind of pity roused him to drag the tree out from under the bed but he did. He hugged the shaking tree which look more lost than an elfling. "It's okay... I'm broken too.." He find himself saying. He remembered an old Quenya lullaby of his mother and unconsciously sang it for the tree.

What is this? This is so unlike him. He thought silently. The tree fell limp out of exhaustion. It was really cold. He thought, just this once, he will let the tree sleep in his bed.

The next day,the tree was gone.

No potted plant nor elven-looking one. Next time they met, was the fall of Gondolin. Where the traitor of Gondolin fell, strong pair of hands held him. He remembered him of course. As they fell together, he saw fading black leaves leaving it's body. Branches turned to ashes to reveal cold worn hands. When they fell, the traitor's back was behind it's chest. At his final moments, he saw it's face. His face.

Dark piercing eyes, just like does not speak and does not spurt out blood like an elf should. It was a cold flesh, long dead. It shielded him from the sharp edges of the rocks below but not everything. There was still pain,fear and regret.

He heard a song. An old lullaby sung in Avarin. He knew, Némo has found his son long ago. Those screams long time ago, the way it looked longingly towards him. All this time, it was pieces of memories sewn messily together. I'm sorry, it whispered. We can go home now. It fades.

His father's spirit was also looking at him. His face was an unreadable expression. No joy or regret. No judgement was placed on the traitor by his father's spirit. Nothing at all. It fades as well into darkness.

His mother welcomed him. A little bit of longing in her eyes. Maeglin smiled. I'm very sorry, mother. He looked at his body for the last time. It was tainted with dark leaves and a rotting body. And thank you, he whispered to nobody.


End file.
